Nottingham Forest Appoint Oliver Glasner as New Head Coach

Nottingham Forest have turned another page in their turbulent dugout saga, handing the reins to Oliver Glasner and making the Austrian their fifth head coach in less than a year.

The manner of the change was as ruthless as it was revealing. Vitor Pereira was dismissed on Tuesday – just two minutes before an exit clause in his contract was due to expire. Forest moved fast, and they moved with a clear target in mind.

That target was Glasner.

The 51-year-old, who left Crystal Palace at the end of last season, arrives at the City Ground with a bulging European résumé and a reputation for imposing clear structure and intensity wherever he goes.

“Oliver is a winner,” declared owner Evangelos Marinakis. “It was clear that we share the same vision, the same ambition and the same relentless desire to succeed.”

Those conversations did not begin this week. Contact with Glasner was first made earlier in the summer, as Forest’s hierarchy quietly prepared for another reset in the technical area.

From Palace glory to Forest rebuild

Glasner’s stock in England is high for a reason. Appointed Palace boss in 2024, he delivered the club’s first major trophy in his debut campaign by lifting the FA Cup. He then backed that up with European silverware, guiding the London side to the Europa Conference League title last season.

Palace’s rise under his watch did not stop there. In August, they took the Community Shield, edging Liverpool on penalties and underlining their new-found steel on the big stage.

Yet Glasner chose to walk away. In January, he made it clear he would leave at the end of the season in search of a new challenge, even with a fresh contract on the table. Forest, with their volatility and potential, now provide that.

“From my very first conversations with the owner and the leadership team, it was evident to me that they have a clear vision for this football club and complete trust and belief in me and my staff to build a strong future together over the long term,” Glasner said.

“That trust and shared commitment, together with the potential that I see within the squad, were key factors for me and I am excited about what we can achieve together.”

A rare European pedigree

Forest have hired not just a coach, but a collector of European titles.

Glasner is one of only three managers to have won both the Europa League and the Europa Conference League. He first announced himself on the continental stage with Eintracht Frankfurt, steering the Bundesliga side to Europa League glory in 2021-22. That run, built on organisation, belief and ruthless counter-attacks, marked him out as a coach who thrives against heavyweight opposition.

Marinakis has not ignored that track record.

“He has consistently demonstrated throughout his career that he can build outstanding teams and deliver success against the strongest competition,” the Forest owner said. “He has earned success through his leadership, his personality and the style of football his teams play.”

A club in flux, an owner with big ideas

Glasner steps into a club that has barely stood still in the last 12 months. Nuno Espirito Santo began last season in charge. Since September, Ange Postecoglou, Sean Dyche and Pereira have all taken a turn in the Forest technical area.

Now comes Glasner, tasked with bringing order to the chaos and aligning the dressing room with an ownership group that makes no secret of its ambitions.

“It has always been our goal to establish Nottingham Forest once again among the leading clubs in England and Europe,” Marinakis said. “Our ambition is not simply to compete – our ambition is to win, to challenge for major honours and to create a football club that our supporters can be proud of for many years to come.”

The rhetoric is bold. The CV of their new head coach matches it. The question, in a club that has changed manager with dizzying speed, is whether Glasner will be given the time and stability to turn those words into something lasting at the City Ground.